A West Midlands Works
- Thread starter Scanlon
- Start date
Scanlon
Western Thunderer
It is said a bad workman blames his tools, well I must be a bad kit builder because the WD 2-10-0 is becoming a chore. Frankly it ranks as one of the most difficult machines I have ever built. I can put up with poor instructions but the ones in the kit are hopeless and as far as I'm concerned. Having followed the frame build step by step I got to “and now I suggest you paint the frames”! Wonderful, 90% of the detailing had yet to be put on the frames making a mockery of this statement. If I wasn’t building the loco for a regular client I’d have sent it back. Naturally I am now in for the challenge and maybe I am slowly getting the better of this "beast".
Having built up the basic frames they were tested on Heyside but they derail through a 5ft 10” radius point into the goods loop. Suggestions to thin the axeboxes/bearings on the 2nd and 5th axles have been made as well as making the rear two axles as “loose” as possible. I have decided to reduce the axlebox widths on all 3 axles and hopefully further running trials will be satisfactory.
A lot of time has been spent getting the frames to run properly. Yesterday The cylinder detail, slidebars and crossheads were built up. The castings are excellent and Jim Snowdon acknowledges the help of Laurie Griffin in producing them. Very little fettling was required to get everything to operate smoothly. With this task out of the way the side rods were fitted to the crankpins for the first time and then the connecting rods were built up and tried in place. The loco will be in 1961 condition so the gudgeon pins provided in the kit were replaced with 10BA bolts to represent a BR modification. Trial running was OK but more work was definitely required. This morning the motor was fitted and trial running as a basic 0-10-0 started and it quickly became apparent the fireman's side coupling rods needed easing. Furthermore the clearance between the leading crankpin and the rear of the crosshead on both sides needed major work. Also the little end of the connecting rods were very loose in the crossheads and a 10BA washer has been soldered in place to reduce waggle. When the frames are stripped for painting I may yet add another washer as there is still a lot of space to be taken up. Further trialling and a satisfactory result achieved as these photos show.
and
I assure readers the loco was not running as if on the Rugby test plant, the shutter speed was a slow one!
The cab is now built and the roof formed up. I am grateful to Tony Geary for sending me detail photos of his build of the 2-8-0 variant to aid construction. He also advised that a frame was required to raise the height of the reverser. While talking about the cab the casting for the backplate is probably one of the poorest I have seen. I appreciate these locos were never loved but a lot of work will be required to make some kind of purse out of this ***'s ear!
About 75% of the detailing is now on the frames including the sandboxes, fitting them would have been lots easier before the frames were built up. As this photo shows a lot of the basic components are built namely the cab and roof, firebox, ashpan and smokebox saddle.
I should mention Dave at Roxey has been very helpful providing additional castings. Only 9 axlebox oil boxes were provided where 10 are needed, similarly 3 sand chutes and 2 additional cylinder relief valves were required. The latter are required as when built only front relief valves were fitted. BR quickly modified the 25 locos they took into their "tender loving care".
Enough of my moaning!
Having built up the basic frames they were tested on Heyside but they derail through a 5ft 10” radius point into the goods loop. Suggestions to thin the axeboxes/bearings on the 2nd and 5th axles have been made as well as making the rear two axles as “loose” as possible. I have decided to reduce the axlebox widths on all 3 axles and hopefully further running trials will be satisfactory.
A lot of time has been spent getting the frames to run properly. Yesterday The cylinder detail, slidebars and crossheads were built up. The castings are excellent and Jim Snowdon acknowledges the help of Laurie Griffin in producing them. Very little fettling was required to get everything to operate smoothly. With this task out of the way the side rods were fitted to the crankpins for the first time and then the connecting rods were built up and tried in place. The loco will be in 1961 condition so the gudgeon pins provided in the kit were replaced with 10BA bolts to represent a BR modification. Trial running was OK but more work was definitely required. This morning the motor was fitted and trial running as a basic 0-10-0 started and it quickly became apparent the fireman's side coupling rods needed easing. Furthermore the clearance between the leading crankpin and the rear of the crosshead on both sides needed major work. Also the little end of the connecting rods were very loose in the crossheads and a 10BA washer has been soldered in place to reduce waggle. When the frames are stripped for painting I may yet add another washer as there is still a lot of space to be taken up. Further trialling and a satisfactory result achieved as these photos show.
and
I assure readers the loco was not running as if on the Rugby test plant, the shutter speed was a slow one!
The cab is now built and the roof formed up. I am grateful to Tony Geary for sending me detail photos of his build of the 2-8-0 variant to aid construction. He also advised that a frame was required to raise the height of the reverser. While talking about the cab the casting for the backplate is probably one of the poorest I have seen. I appreciate these locos were never loved but a lot of work will be required to make some kind of purse out of this ***'s ear!
About 75% of the detailing is now on the frames including the sandboxes, fitting them would have been lots easier before the frames were built up. As this photo shows a lot of the basic components are built namely the cab and roof, firebox, ashpan and smokebox saddle.
I should mention Dave at Roxey has been very helpful providing additional castings. Only 9 axlebox oil boxes were provided where 10 are needed, similarly 3 sand chutes and 2 additional cylinder relief valves were required. The latter are required as when built only front relief valves were fitted. BR quickly modified the 25 locos they took into their "tender loving care".
Enough of my moaning!
into a Dr. Jekyll. Once finished I will go and lie down in a darkened room!
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Roger - is this one of the much lauded Snowhill kits? If so I'm rather sad as I'd assumed (and assumption being the mother of all buggeration ups) that these would be the DBs. I know there were much publicised compromises over the wheel spacing but I could accept that. It's a favourite loco (if I live long enough to build one), but of the 2-8-0 variety.
I'll take counsel from the men in white coats, bearing in mind recent challenges, before I commit.
Anyway, I have a Finney A3 and MOK Q1 to do before an Austerity even figures in my thinking.
Brian
I'll take counsel from the men in white coats, bearing in mind recent challenges, before I commit.
Anyway, I have a Finney A3 and MOK Q1 to do before an Austerity even figures in my thinking.
Brian
Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
Brian,
That is more than lulling oneself into a false sense of security
Regards
Mike
Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
Criticism according to what I hear from other sites .It's the builder getting it wrong.
Scanlon
Western Thunderer
At last I'm in forward gear and there has been some progress with the WD this week, I might be getting to like the kit! Careful!
The frames were still not quite right but with the help of another set of eyes the problem was identified as the leading intermediate driving axle being slightly too low. With that problem resolved the frames were tried again on Heyside and they successfully negotiated all the pointwork.
Today was build the boiler day. Richard Lambert rolled the boiler and smokebox etches using his much more beefy set of rollers. My set have nylon gears and have a tendency to jump out of alignment when heavy etches require rolling. Building the boiler was a challenge. Everything in the instructions leads the builder to believe the boiler is parallel but at the firebox end it is much wider on the underside. It took some time to realise this was the case but now all is well.
The join between the boiler and firebox is not covered by a boiler band and I foresee much filling and rubbing down to get a smooth finish. Also one handrail knob will have to be relocated as the etched hole is a little too high. The cab front has a lot of gaps and I’m hoping there is an etch to cover them!!!!
The tender is almost finished. I have prepared a set of axleboxes and springs for one side and might fit them tomorrow. Slowly getting there.
The frames were still not quite right but with the help of another set of eyes the problem was identified as the leading intermediate driving axle being slightly too low. With that problem resolved the frames were tried again on Heyside and they successfully negotiated all the pointwork.
Today was build the boiler day. Richard Lambert rolled the boiler and smokebox etches using his much more beefy set of rollers. My set have nylon gears and have a tendency to jump out of alignment when heavy etches require rolling. Building the boiler was a challenge. Everything in the instructions leads the builder to believe the boiler is parallel but at the firebox end it is much wider on the underside. It took some time to realise this was the case but now all is well.
The join between the boiler and firebox is not covered by a boiler band and I foresee much filling and rubbing down to get a smooth finish. Also one handrail knob will have to be relocated as the etched hole is a little too high. The cab front has a lot of gaps and I’m hoping there is an etch to cover them!!!!
The tender is almost finished. I have prepared a set of axleboxes and springs for one side and might fit them tomorrow. Slowly getting there.
warren haywood
Western Thunderer
Hi RogerThis might help with detailing ect, only shot I took of it unfortunately
Scanlon
Western Thunderer
Thanks Warren for the photo. Some of the fittings are difficult to identify and BR removed some of them around the smokebox especially those associated with the Westinghouse pump. Your photo answers a number of questions and will be very handy.
Another successful day, mainly associated with detailing. The cylinders are screwed in place inside the mainframes. Once the smokebox saddle is installed the screws can no longer be accessed if there should be a need to remove the cylinders. Following consultation two large holes have been drilled and filed out on the underside of the saddle to allow access from above, it can now be soldered in place.
Otherwise all work has centred on fitting the boiler bands which are fairly delicate etches. Maybe they are OK for the 2-8-0 version but most of them were just too short. As the underside of the boiler is not too visible this should not be noticeable. The sandbox chutes and their shields have been fitted. With the sandboxes in the locations marked on the inside of the frames there was a sizeable gap between their tops and the underside of the chutes, consequently each sandbox had to be lifted up.
A start has been made on detailing
The major boiler fittings are now in place. The sprues to some of the larger castings required to be removed and then a lot of filing was needed to get them to sit correctly on the boiler and smokebox. These locos have two washout plugs in the boiler behind the safety valves. They are clearly visible on photos and the etch has holes for them but there were insufficient plugs in the kit. A couple of spares from an MOK kit have filled them.
There is no etch to cover the large gap around the front of the cab and I will have to come up with something creative. My thinking is to purchase a piece of L shaped brass and file down the edge which will rest on the firebox.
Another successful day, mainly associated with detailing. The cylinders are screwed in place inside the mainframes. Once the smokebox saddle is installed the screws can no longer be accessed if there should be a need to remove the cylinders. Following consultation two large holes have been drilled and filed out on the underside of the saddle to allow access from above, it can now be soldered in place.
Otherwise all work has centred on fitting the boiler bands which are fairly delicate etches. Maybe they are OK for the 2-8-0 version but most of them were just too short. As the underside of the boiler is not too visible this should not be noticeable. The sandbox chutes and their shields have been fitted. With the sandboxes in the locations marked on the inside of the frames there was a sizeable gap between their tops and the underside of the chutes, consequently each sandbox had to be lifted up.
A start has been made on detailing
The major boiler fittings are now in place. The sprues to some of the larger castings required to be removed and then a lot of filing was needed to get them to sit correctly on the boiler and smokebox. These locos have two washout plugs in the boiler behind the safety valves. They are clearly visible on photos and the etch has holes for them but there were insufficient plugs in the kit. A couple of spares from an MOK kit have filled them.
There is no etch to cover the large gap around the front of the cab and I will have to come up with something creative. My thinking is to purchase a piece of L shaped brass and file down the edge which will rest on the firebox.
Scanlon
Western Thunderer
Weekends are usually reserved for my own building projects and I have decided to take a short break from building Bulleid pacifics and WD's to build an ex LBSCR E2 0-6-0t from the Ace kit. Yes I can hear the groans but I was advised this particular kit is quite accurate and being a Brighton line fan I had to have one. The model will be of 32105 which was allocated at my local shed of Norwood Junction for about 3 years in the late 1950's.
not my copyright but shown here for information.
After a peek into the box at the Telford show I decided to splash out £99.00. The instructions could be better but there is a very useful "exploded drawing" complete with etch numbers to help identify what goes where. A 7mm scale side-on drawing of both the short and long tank versions is also included in the instructions albeit of the LBSCR build. Using these should make the build quite straightforward.
The frames are of the usual nickel silver etches which have built up well. As usual I started by building the coupling rods which were then set up on the chassis jig. Very quickly it became clear the middle axle needed to be moved back by about 1mm. With this modification out of the way the frame stretchers were installed along with a dummy motion bracket which is inclined at 9½⁰, well 10⁰ in my case! There are plenty of frame stretchers in the kit so another one was added in the ashpan area to aid stability. Unfortunately while at the show I overlooked to order the wheels so building the brake gear etc. will have to wait until they arrive.
Work then turned to the running plate. The Brighton loved reverse curves and this loco is no exception. Forming them is always trial and error but with the first valance tacked in place the curves were easily formed. Of course when the other valance came to be fitted it was soldered in the wrong way round and had to be taken out, cleaned up and the soldering process started again. The flat area at the rear of the loco for bunker is slightly longer than at the front end, my fault I should have double checked. Then the buffer beams were added before a start made on building up the smokebox saddle.
Hopefully there will be more progress tomorrow.
not my copyright but shown here for information.
After a peek into the box at the Telford show I decided to splash out £99.00. The instructions could be better but there is a very useful "exploded drawing" complete with etch numbers to help identify what goes where. A 7mm scale side-on drawing of both the short and long tank versions is also included in the instructions albeit of the LBSCR build. Using these should make the build quite straightforward.
The frames are of the usual nickel silver etches which have built up well. As usual I started by building the coupling rods which were then set up on the chassis jig. Very quickly it became clear the middle axle needed to be moved back by about 1mm. With this modification out of the way the frame stretchers were installed along with a dummy motion bracket which is inclined at 9½⁰, well 10⁰ in my case! There are plenty of frame stretchers in the kit so another one was added in the ashpan area to aid stability. Unfortunately while at the show I overlooked to order the wheels so building the brake gear etc. will have to wait until they arrive.
Work then turned to the running plate. The Brighton loved reverse curves and this loco is no exception. Forming them is always trial and error but with the first valance tacked in place the curves were easily formed. Of course when the other valance came to be fitted it was soldered in the wrong way round and had to be taken out, cleaned up and the soldering process started again. The flat area at the rear of the loco for bunker is slightly longer than at the front end, my fault I should have double checked. Then the buffer beams were added before a start made on building up the smokebox saddle.
Hopefully there will be more progress tomorrow.
Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
I've just built one of these as Thomas for my son. Not sure how you did your footplate as neither of my valances were the same length or shape. I also dislike the partial half etching William does at the curves.
I also found it was either the front or rear axle hole that was in the wrong place. As the overall wheelbase was too short.
I also found it was either the front or rear axle hole that was in the wrong place. As the overall wheelbase was too short.
Scanlon
Western Thunderer
Hello Peter,
Thanks for your note. I have just checked both my coupling rods and the frames and the wheelbase is 112mm centre to centre as per the prototype. My photo shows clearly how far off centre the middle bearings are but the others are equidistant within their etched lines. Like you I do not like the half etching and yes my valances were of different lengths and had to be "modified" but lets see how the loco develops.
Roger
Thanks for your note. I have just checked both my coupling rods and the frames and the wheelbase is 112mm centre to centre as per the prototype. My photo shows clearly how far off centre the middle bearings are but the others are equidistant within their etched lines. Like you I do not like the half etching and yes my valances were of different lengths and had to be "modified" but lets see how the loco develops.
Roger